Morals in the Life and Dawah of the

Prophets
The Prophet, , was commanded to maintain the same methodology that had been adopted
by all the previous prophets and messengers, may Allaah exalt their mention, as Allaah The
Almighty Says (what means): {Those are the ones whom Allaah has guided, so from their
guidance take an example.} [Quran 6:90] Allaah the Almighty granted the prophets perfection
of morals and character so that people would not turn away from them with the excuse that
they were repulsive or ill-natured. All prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, only spoke
what was revealed to them by Allaah the Almighty. Their message was not something that they
fabricated or that was due to the surrounding social conditions of their age. Their message
was a revelation from Allaah the Almighty, as each and every prophet testified: {I only follow
what is revealed to me.}[Quran 6:50] The prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, did not
have the right to change, replace, add, or cancel anything that had been revealed to them.

Concerning Prophet Muhammad, , Allaah the Almighty Says (what means):

{Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. It is not but a revelation revealed.} [Quran
53:3,4]

{Say, [O Muhammad]: It is not for me to change it on my own accord. I only follow what is
revealed to me. Indeed, I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous
Day.} [Quran 10:15]
In their mission, the prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, did not ask for a reward from
their people, as they only sought the reward of Allaah the Almighty. Prophet Hoode said
to his people (what means): {O my people, I do not ask you for it any reward. My reward is
only from The One who created me. Then will you not reason?}[Quran 11:51] Prophet

Muhammad, , confirmed the same meaning by saying (what means): {Say, [O

Muhammad]: I do not ask you for the Quran any payment, and I am not of the pretentious.}
[Quran 38:86]

The aim of all the prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, was for people to have sincerity
in religion and to turn them towards worshipping the Lord of all creation instead of
worshipping His creatures. The prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, also aimed at
saving disobedient people from the adversity of life to the comfort of both the worldly
life and the Hereafter and from the oppression of distorted and false religions to the
justice of Islam. In the Quran, Allaah the Almighty clarifies the true religion that He
commands all people to follow, by Saying (what means): {And they were not commanded
except to worship Allaah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish
prayer and to give Zakaah. And that is the correct religion.} [Quran 98:5]

Every prophet was sent speaking the language of his people in order to communicate
clearly with them. The prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, followed their Fitrah
(innate disposition) and talked to people in a way that suited their mentality without
pretense, declamation or exaggeration. Allaah the Almighty Says (what means):

{And I am not of the pretentious} [Quran 38:86]

Allaah the Almighty made the method of Dawah (propagation) clear to His prophets, as He

gave an order to His Prophet, , by Saying (what means):

{Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in
a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and
He is most Knowing of who is [rightly] guided.}[Quran 16:125]

The methodology of the prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, and their Dawah are clear.
The best way to make Dawah is the clear and simple way of the noble Quran, with which
one does not need any philosophical or scholastic methodology.

All the prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, gave precedence to the eternal life of the
Hereafter over the worldly life that would ultimately come to an end. Their predominant
characteristic was to renounce the pleasures of this worldly life and seek the reward of the
Hereafter, as they were certain that: {what is with Allaah is better and more lasting} [Quran
28:60] and: {that which is with Allaah is best for the righteous.} [Quran 3:198]
Allaah the Almighty Says to His Prophet, , (what means): {And do not extend your eyes
toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [its being but]
the splendor of worldly life by which We test them. And the provision of your Lord is better
and more enduring.} [Quran 20:131]

The prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, were the most perfect, most honest and had
the noblest lineage of all mankind. Allaah the Almighty chose them by his Knowledge over
everyone and everything else to bear the greatest trust, which is conveying His message.
Therefore, they must be a model for all people. Regarding the merits of the prophets, Allaah
the Almighty Says (what means):

{And remember Our servants, Ibraaheem, Ishaaq and Yaqoob - those of strength and
[religious] vision. Indeed, We chose them for an exclusive quality: remembrance of the home
[of the Hereafter]. And indeed they are, to Us, among the chosen and outstanding. And
remember Ismaaeel, Al-Yas and Dhul-Kifl, and all are among the outstanding.} [Quran
38:45-48]
{[Allaah] Said: O Moosa, I have chosen you over the people with My messages and My
words [to you]. So take what I have given you and be among the grateful.}[Quran 7:144]

Throughout their Dawah, the prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, not only confirmed
the idea of servitude to Allaah by telling their people (what means): {worship Allaah; you
have no deity other than Him} [Quran 7:59] but they also treated the faults that were
widespread during their time and urged their people to be virtuous. For instance, Prophet
Shuayb tried to reform the faults of his people, the people of Madyan, and advised
them not to give less in measure and weight and decrease the rights of others. Also, Prophet
Loote said to his people: {Do you approach males among the worlds. And leave what
your Lord has created for you as mates? But you are a people transgressing.} [Quran
26:165-166] He also criticized them for obstructing roads and committing every evil in their

meetings. The biography of the Prophet, , also proves that he continuously tried to treat
the faults of his people, as will be clarified later.

Adhering to Tawheed and Legislation: A Shield for Morality

1- Adhering to Tawheed (monotheism): Tawheed is purity as it is acknowledgement of the

truth, while Shirk (polytheism) is an impurity as Allaah the Almighty Says (what means):
{indeed the polytheists are unclean.}[Quran 9:28]This is because Shirk is the denial of truth,
and even if the polytheists superficially bathed, adorned and perfumed themselves their
inner impurity would still not be removed. Sins and evil deeds are considered
impurities, as the Prophet, , said: Whoever commits any of these sins should
conceal them and make use of the concealment granted to him by Allaah. Whoever
openly admits to his sins [to other people] will be punished with what is prescribed in
the Quran.
 In order to perfect morality and obtain the desired objectives, we should be careful in matters

pertaining to Tawheed and legislation and follow the Sunnah of the Prophet, , in this

regard. The Prophet, , implanted two crucial principles in his Companions: the first was to
worship Allaah the Almighty without associating any other deity with Him, while the second
principle was to worship Allaah the Almighty according to His Legislation and no other. The

Prophet, , did not allow any of his Companions to break either of these two principles.

Once the Prophet, , saw Umar ibn Al-Khattaab holding a piece of paper from the

Torah as he had admired what was written on it. Thereupon, the Prophet, , was very
angry and said to him: You do this while I am amongst you? I have conveyed to you the
message white and pure. By Allaah, if Moosa [Moses] had been alive now, he would have
had no choice but to follow me.[Ahmad, Al-Albaani - Hasan] This Hadeeth shows the

universal nature of the Dawah of the Prophet, , and that it is impermissible to follow
anything except the Quran and Sunnah. Therefore, how can people leave these protected
principles and seek guidance in things that have been distorted and changed?

Once, the Prophet, , heard an Imaam delivering a Khutbah (sermon) on the pulpit, and
saying,Whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger will be rightly guided, while whoever

disobeys them, will be misguided.The Prophet, , said:What a bad Imaam you are! Say:
The one who disobeys Allaah and His Messenger will be misguided.[Ahmad, Muslim] In

the abovementioned Hadeeth, the Prophet, , criticized the Imaam for saying disobeying

them when referring to Allaah and His Prophet, , as the use of this pronoun entails that

both Allaah the Almighty and His Prophet, , are on the same level. The Prophet, ,
also saw that it was appropriate to mention and clarify this point in during the Khutbah.

When Uthmaan ibn Mathoon died, Umm Al-Alaa said,O Abu As-Saaib! I testify

that Allaah has honored you.The Prophet, , said to her:How do you know that Allaah

has honored Him?She replied, Who would be honored if not him? The Prophet, said to
her:By Allaah, though I am the Messenger of Allaah, I do not know what Allaah will do with

me tomorrow. Umm Al-Alaa said,By Allaah, I will never attest the piety of anybody
after this. [Ahmad and Al-Bukhaari]

Deeds depend on how the last of them will be, which Allaah the Almighty has concealed from
peoples knowledge. This refutes what was said by the Jews and Christians as they said
(what means):
{We are the children of Allaah and His beloved} [Quran 5:18]
{None will enter Paradise except one who is a Jew or a Christian.} [Quran 2:111]
Allaah the Almighty told them (what means): {That is [merely] their wishful thinking, Say:
Produce your proof, if you should be truthful.}[Quran 2:111] This also refutes what some
people do, thinking that some of the dead are the allies of Allaah The Almighty and
consequently, they worship these allies.
Among the examples that illustrate adherence to Tawheed is when a man came to the

Prophet, , and said to him, Allaah and you willing. The Prophet, , said:Are you
making me an equal to Allaah? You should say, What Allaah alone, wills.[Ahmad, Al-
Albaani - Hasan]

Adhering to Tawheed (Islamic monotheism) does not only apply to deeds but also to words.

Some of the Companions asked the Prophet, , to make a tree for them that was known
as Thaat Anwaat so that they could hang their weapons on it in order to seek its blessings

as the disbelievers used to do. The Prophet, , responded:By Allaah, you have said to me
the same as the Children of Israel said to Moosa; they said:{O Moosa make for us a god just
as they have gods}. [Ahmad and At-Tirmithi - Hasan Saheeh]
The Prophet, , was asked about soothsayers, and he said:They know nothing. [Muslim]
Even if soothsayers tell the truth once, they add to it a hundred lies.

The Prophet, , warned us many times about using graves as Masjids (mosques). Allaah
The Almighty Says (what means): {And [He Revealed] that the masjids are for Allaah, so do
not invoke with Allaah anyone.}[Quran 72:18] Therefore, it is the duty of all people to return
in repentance to Allaah The Almighty, submit themselves to Him, abandon any form of Shirk,
Kufr (disbelief) or devoting any acts of worship to anything other than Allaah and to believe in
Him Alone. People must also know that Tawheed comes first, as one must give precedence
to what is most important, whether in matters concerning seeking knowledge, work or
Dawah.

The claims that the disbelievers, polytheists and philosophers have set the measures and
foundations for good morals and that they have good manners is vain, as what is bred in the
bone will come out in the flesh. Also, those disbelievers and polytheists will only benefit from
their good deeds in this worldly life, but in the Hereafter they would embody the verse (what
means):
{And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed.}
[Quran 25:23]
{But those who disbelieved - their deeds are like a mirage in a lowland which a thirsty
one thinks is water until, when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing but finds Allaah before
Him, and He will pay him in full his due; and Allaah is swift in account.} [Quran 24:39]

2- Adhering to Legislation: All ways are blocked except that of the Prophet, , and it is not
permissible, or indeed possible, to become firmly established with good morals first, then try
to interpret Islamic texts in a way that would suit these morals. Allaah the Almighty Says
(what means): {O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allaah and His
Messenger, but fear Allaah.} [Quran 49:1] In fact, we are required to derive our methodology,

principles, and morals from the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet, , without
permitting ourselves or others to neglect any of the Shareeah texts. In this regard, we have

to follow the example of the Prophet, , where we have many proofs. The Prophet, ,
saw a man walking during pilgrimage supported by two men, so he asked about him. The
people informed him that he had vowed to go on foot to perform pilgrimage. He said:Allaah
is not in need of this old man's torturing himself. Then he told the people: Order him to
ride.[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Also, when the Prophet, , saw Abu Israel standing in the sun and not speaking, he
asked the people about him. They said, He has vowed that on this day he will keep

standing, remain in the sun and keep silent.'The Prophet, , said:Let him end his fast,
speak, come in the shade and sit down. [Al-Bukhaari] Sitting in the sun is a burden that
does not bring the person closer to Allaah the Almighty, and abstaining from
speaking is how the previous nations used to fast, which is not a part of our
Shareeah. The proof of this is what the Prophet, , said: The one who believes in
Allaah and the Day of Judgment should say something good or remain silent.
Further proof is that when the Prophet, , knew that Abdullaah ibn Amr was fasting
during the daytime and performing voluntary prayers throughout the night, which made him
neglect the rights of his wife, he said to him:Fast like my brother, Daawood, [Prophet David
], who would fast every other day and never fled from his enemies.[Muslim] It was also

narrated that the Prophet, , said: Your Lord has a right over you, and your wife has a
right over you, so give each one his right. [Al-Bukhaari]

Thus, a person must be just, moderate and careful regarding the different benefits in life and
should maintain a good balance between them, without excessiveness or negligence. One
must also take the requirements of the body and soul into consideration, without aloofness
or committing excess, and should have a comprehensive view of giving every person his due
right.

Another example is when three men went to the houses of the Prophet, , asking about
his acts of worship. When they were informed about it, it seemed as if they thought it was

insufficient. Therefore, they said, How can we compare ourselves to the Prophet when
his past and future sins have been forgiven.Thereupon, one of them said, I will offer
voluntary prayers throughout the night and never sleep.Another said, I will fast throughout
the year and will not break my fast.The third said,I will keep away from women and will

never marry. When the Prophet, , was told about them, he mounted the pulpit and
gathered the people, then he said:Why are some people saying such and such? I am the
most knowledgeable and most fearful of Allaah among you, yet I fast and break my fast, I
offer voluntary night prayers and I sleep, and I marry women. Therefore, the one who does
not follow my Sunnah, is not of my Ummah. [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
The path that leads to Allaah the Almighty and the Gardens of Pleasure is the way of the

Prophet, , that should not be exceeded. This way should be followed without innovations

as the most perfect human is the Prophet, , and his Sunnah is the praised way that was

followed by his Companions . The Sunnah is every thing that the Prophet, , did, said
or approved of. It also includes any characteristic that was intended as a means of

legislation for the Ummah. The one who turns away from the Sunnah of the Prophet,

, should be told as the Prophet, , said: The one who refrains from my Sunnah, is
not of my Ummah. The Prophet, , would say: If someone innovates something
that is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected. [Al-
Bukhaari and Muslim] It was narrated that the Prophet, , said: Every innovation
is deviation, and every deviation is in Hell.

According to Ash-Shaatibi an innovation is an invented way in the religion that is falsely

attributed to the Shareeah, even though it is done with the intention of worshipping Allaah
The Almighty. Innovations are more preferable to Iblees (Satan) than sins, and the one who
does them is among those to whom the evil of their deeds has been made attractive, so

he considers them good. Umar would say, Every innovation is a deviation, even
if people consider it to be good. Ibn Masood would say, Follow and do not
innovate as you have what suffices you. Adhere to the way of the early generations
[the Companions of the Prophet].

The Companions followed this clear methodology and did not allow any one to ruin

Tawheed or Legislation. Umar ibn Al-Khattab for instance, would kiss the Black Stone
and say, By Allaah, I know that you are just a stone that can neither harm nor
benefit, and I would have never kissed you if I had not seen the Prophet kissing
you. Ali dismissed all the people from the mosque who would tell imaginary and
unreal stories under the pretext of reminding the people and softening their hearts.
Also, when Ibn Umar heard a man saying after sneezing, Praise be to Allaah
and peace and blessing be upon the Prophet he told him, This is not what the
Prophet taught us. The Prophet said:When anyone of you sneezes, he
should praise Allaah but he did not mention that we should ask for blessings upon
him.
When Ibn Masood entered the mosque of Al-Koofah, he saw groups of people sitting in
circles and in the middle of each circle there was a pile of stones and a man standing by
each group ordering them to exalt Allaah The Almighty a hundred times, then to praise Him a
hundred times, and then to glorify Him a hundred times, and the people responded. Ibn

Masood said to them, O people! By Allaah you are either more guided than the Prophet

or you are approaching a deviation! They said, O Abu Abdur-Rahmaan! We only

meant to do good deeds. He said, There are many who want to do good deeds but never

do [as they do not follow the Sunnah of the Prophet ]. [Ad-Daarimi]

Any addition or deletion in acts of worship or behavior that is done with the intention of
drawing closer to Allaah The Almighty, is a rejected innovation even if the intention was good
as long as this act does not coincide with the Shareeah of Allaah The Almighty.

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